Stay With Me
by RinSabreDelta
Summary: When Irina blows into Mystic Falls offering her help to defend Elena, it seems too good to be true. When she says she's an Original, the Salvatores don't know what to think. She may not be a Mikaelson, but she's the next best thing, and she'll be damned if she'll let Klaus win. Even if it means ignoring her heart...
1. Chapter 1

The moment Irina had walked into Mystic Falls, she knew the people here would be trouble. A vampire hunting council, wolves with no pack, and young vampires making a mess of everything. And in the middle of it all, a Petrova doppelganger. It hadn't taken long to find the home of the oldest of the vampires in town, though they themselves were babies as well. Pushing a lock of her black hair behind her ear, she knocked gently on the heavy wooden door, clasping her hands in front of her and listening as footsteps approached.

"Hello, can I help you?" A young man with rather large hair answered the door, giving her a curious look. She put on her best smile and shook her head a bit.

"Actually, I came to help you. It's my understanding that you have a rather...special young lady who may need protecting." In an instant, his gaze hardened, and he grabbed her arm to drag her inside. She could tell he was using a fair amount of his supernatural strength, and though she could easily escape, she allowed herself to be pulled. She drew the line when he attempted to throw her into a chair, instead pulling her arm from him sharply and brushing off her jacket. "My, what manners you have."

"Who are you?" His voice was pitched low, and she surmised he was trying to be threatening. With a smile, she moved to a more comfortable looking couch, taking a seat and smoothing her hands over her pants. Looking up at him, Irina took in his anger and confusion.

"A friend. You can call me Irina." He seemed to hesitate, confusion coloring his gaze. If it would be this easy to gain their trust, it didn't bode well for the Petrova girl. He opened his mouth, hopefully to question her a bit more about her intentions, when a deeper voice spoke from a doorway nearby.

"We don't have friends. So, maybe you'd like to try again." She turned, her own hazel eyes meeting the icy grey of an older man. The color was offset by his own dark hair, and she couldn't help but admire his good looks. Keeping her face blank, she met his lethal smirk with a calm facade of her own.

"Consider me a new friend, then. The point is, you have something," their eyes narrowed and she held back the urge to roll her own as she looked between them, "apologies, some _one_ that some very dangerous people want. I'd rather they not get their hands on her." The two men glanced between each other, raising her ire. "If you would rather turn away help against the Originals, then be my guest. But having an Original of your own may come in handy." That seemed to have their guards back up. Without warning, the older man had her pinned to the wall by her throat, glaring down at her.

"You're an Original? Why should we trust you against your family?" His words were growled, and under different circumstances it might be hot. For now, it was simply annoying.

"I may be an Original, but I am no Mikaelson. Suffice it to say, they do not yet know of my existence." Slowly, she gripped his wrist and pulled his hand from her throat, forcing him backwards. "I do not wish for the Mikaelsons to succeed and neither do you. It's certainly enough for a treaty, at the least." The two men looked at each other as she released the older one, seeming to have a silent debate before both nodding.

"So, Irina, how exactly are you going to help us? You know where the other Originals are?"

"No. But I can't die, so they'd have quite a bit of trouble getting through me to your precious girl." They shared a look again, only this time there was something a bit worrying about it. "What? Don't tell me that's a problem?"

"We...may have staked one of the Originals." There was a moment of silence as Irina raised a brow, fairly impressed they'd gotten close enough to even make the attempt.

"Which one?"

"Elijah." She began to laugh, and their confusion seemed to grow. "What?!"

"You couldn't have gone for the easiest one, hm?" She held up a hand as they opened their mouths to argue. "No, no. This is fine. Elijah can be...dealt with. At least it wasn't Klaus, but he won't be too far behind." They nodded, and the smaller man stepped forward with a hand offered.

"Stefan Salvatore. This is my brother, Damon." The older man simply gave a nod. "And...we'd be happy to accept your help." Irina relaxed just a bit, looking between the vampires and wondering just what these poor baby vampires had gotten themselves mixed up in.


	2. Chapter 2

The very next day, Irina met Elena herself, noting how much kinder this one was than the last. She was more than way of the old vampire, and Irina did not blame her one bit. If it weren't for the Salvatore brothers, it's clear she would have died long ago. Elena's friends, the witch Bonnie and the other vampire Caroline, were competent enough but had much to learn. Damon had come up with some ridiculous cover story, saying Irina was an old family friend recently back from Europe. It didn't matter; the older vampire spent the majority of her time keeping an eye out for signs of the other Originals, knowing it wouldn't be long before he showed his face in town. Though the brothers were young, she found them to be rather wise in their actions. Damon was especially fascinating; though he showed a rather cold, almost ripper-like exterior all day, she would catch glimpses of his care for his friends. His love for Elena, however, was a whole different story. Irina wasn't sure it was a true love, but his actions with it didn't help to convince her. The constant antagonizing of his brother was shocking to her at first, though Stefan seemed more than used to it by now. Irina grew more accustomed to it, and eventually she could ignore it altogether. One such night, Damon seemed to seek her out, reeking of booze and holding a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. She set aside the journal she had been writing in, watching him take a seat next to her on the couch.

"Can I help you with something, Mr. Salvatore?" He gave her a smirk, and if it weren't for the amount of drink he'd clearly had, it might be charming. He began to pour two drinks, pushing one glass into her hand and quickly downing his own.

"I was hoping we could talk." His words were a tad slurred, and she wondered just how many bottles he'd gone through. She sipped from her own glass conservatively. "I...am madly in love with Elena."

"I know. You do not exactly hide it." He seemed to study her for a few moments, and she finished her drink slowly while he seemed to think.

"I'm no good for her. I can't be who she wants."

"Is that because she prefers you brother?" His face darkened, and pain shone in his eyes. Pity bloomed in her chest, and her features softened. Gently, slowly, she pulled the bottle from his hands, setting it aside. He sneered, finishing the glass in his hand. "Mr. Salvatore-"

"Damon. All the pretty girls call me Damon." She sighed, deciding not to fight it for now.

"Damon. I don't think you should be basing your worth upon the whims of one human." She gave a shrug, and his eyes narrowed at her.

"Oh? Then I suppose you've never loved anyone?" He blood turned to ice immediately, any sympathy she felt evaporating. With a cold stare, she gathered up her journal, passed him the bottle, and turned to leave. "Wait, Irina..." She ignored him, stalking off to the room Stefan had provided for her, burying the distant memories and dull ache in her chest. Love was the farthest thing from her mind anymore, and she fully intended to keep it that way. Settling in, she set her journal aside and pulled out a book she'd grabbed from their library, attempting to lose herself in the story. When a knock sounded at her door sometime later, she growled low in her throat in warning.

"Am I bothering you?" Stefan stood in the doorway, looking worried as usual. She relaxed instantly, shaking her head and gesturing for him to enter. He only took a few steps before stopping, his hands shoved in his pockets. "It's about Elena. She wants to give herself up."

"Does she fully understand what that would mean?" Irina was careful to keep her voice soft, not wanting to worry the younger vampire. If the Petrova girl was bent on sacrificing herself, it would make their jobs all the more difficult.

"She thinks she'd be saving her family. And us." He shook his head, and she took a moment to consider her words.

"Then we'll need to keep a close eye on her." She heard the door open and shut quickly, cursing quietly to herself as she realized who would have left. "Go. Be with her, but do not let her know we are going to stop her. I need to go to your brother." Stefan simply nodded and disappeared, likely going to do exactly as she said. Pulling on her leather jacket, Irina grumbled her way through slipping some shoes on and following after Damon. It took her longer than she'd like to find him, and he had some poor human girl under his compulsion. She was clearly crying, and he was clearly too drunk.

"Why are you doing this?" Irina sighed, stepping closer to the pair with her hands in her pockets.

"Because he is an idiot." Damon's gaze snapped to her, eyes narrowing as he stepped around the human and made his way to her.

"You're not wrong. But, I really don't enjoy you intruding on my little session." He smirked, taking a swig from the flask in his hand. She stepped closer.

"I do not wish to compel you, Damon, but I will. Go home, get in bed. I will return once I've cleaned up your mess." A sob fell from the human's lips, and Irina rolled her eyes.

"Fine. But not because you told me too, because I'm tired." With a pout, he stalked off, disappearing into the darkness. Irina moved to stand in front of the woman. Looking in her eyes, she gave the command.

"You'll forget what happened here. You stopped because you thought you hit a bunny, but nothing was hurt. You'll go home and sleep." The woman gave a wooden nod and moved towards the car slowly. Irina sped off into the trees, watching as the vehicle continued on it's way. She took her time getting back to the Salvatore house, giving Damon the chance to do as she asked. Sure enough, upon her return she found her burrowed under his duvet, eyes closed and breathing even. She scooped up his flask, noting the lack of alcohol now within and turned to leave when a hand grabbed her wrist gently.

"Wait...stay?" It was a mumbled request, a bit slurred, but she heard it nonetheless. Her earlier sympathy returned, and she pulled her arm away to slip off her jacket and shoes. He seemed to relax as she laid next to him. He threw the covers over her and pulled her close, falling asleep within minutes. Irina had to admit, it was nice having a bed companion again, and drifted off with the thought that maybe she liked Damon more than she'd planned.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Irina was awake early, in the kitchen making something for the little human to eat. She wasn't sure just what Elena liked, but pancakes seemed like a safe enough bet for the time being. A faint breeze along her back alerted her to an intruder, and she spun to grab them. A masculine hand grabbed her wrist, and she looked up into the smirk of the elder Salvatore. She arched a brow, hand held between them.

"Mr. Salvatore. I was just preparing breakfast for Miss Gilbert." Irina gave a gentle tug against his hold, surprised when he instantly released her. Turning her back on him, she continued her work. He moved to lean against the counter next to her and gave her an appraising look.

"So...last night..." He started, a single brow arching as she finished the last of the pancakes and stacked them on a plate in the warm oven to keep.

"Will not be spoken of." With a muted thud, the oven door shut and she turned to face him fully. "Nor will it be repeated."

"Oh, I don't know about that." He sounded playful, and she gave a roll of her eyes. "I rather enjoyed it, didn't you?" A sound on the floor above them grabbed her attention, and she ignored his question. As it became clear that Elena was awake and would be downstairs soon, Irina began to set the table. Turning, she moved lithely around Damon who'd thought to step into her path and stop her, continuing her work. "Irina, wait." He caught her arm to stop her, and she looked up at him with an arched brow. All traces of humor were gone from his face, replaced with a seriousness she'd learned was rare for him. "Seriously, thank you. For everything." She nodded, giving him a small smile as he released her. Elena entered then, and Irina busied herself with making sure the human was fed and happy. Stefan joined them not too long after, and soon the two of them headed off to school. Damon disappeared out the door, leaving Irina with full reign over the house for the foreseeable future. She spent the day in the gardens mostly, enjoying the warmth of the sun as she read. It was damn near enjoyable until her phone went off. A concerning text, from Damon no less, had her on her feet and out the door in no time. Arriving at some sort of Founder's event, she strode in purposefully, easily finding Damon. To her shock and chagrin, Elijah stood in front of him, all smiles and charm.

"Ah, Irina. Good." Damon was acting the part as well, and she gave her own smile to the charade. If Elijah had any inkling as to who she was, he didn't show it. "Elijah, I want you to meet our current house guest, Irina." The Original took her hand, placing a gentle kiss on it and making the other women nearby swoon at the display. Irina, however, wasn't moved; instead, she pulled her hand away with a cool smile, her eyes hard. There was a glint of curiosity in the older man's gaze, and she could see the gears turning. He was curious about her; that was good. She could use that to her advantage in this battle against them.

"Lovely to meet you, Miss Irina." Elijah's voice was smooth and she held back the urge to scoff. Instead, she decided to up her own charm, her smile becoming more warm. Damon seemed caught off-guard as well.

"And you, Elijah. Damon has told me so much about you." Something else sparked in his gaze, and she knew she'd gotten him now. She turned to Damon with a small smile. "I apologize for the intrusion, Mr. Salvatore, but I had some questions about the house. I can see you're busy, however."

"Nonsense. Stay, I'll only be a bit longer and then we can talk." Damon gave her a stunning smile and she nodded. Giving a quiet goodbye, she stepped away from the group, making her way towards the gardens. She could feel Elijah's gaze on her, and knew he would want to find out more. Irina forced herself to try and enjoy the gardens. As impressive as they were, they weren't nearly as private or quiet as the Salvatore's gardens, and she briefly wished she hadn't had to leave. Settling on a bench, she pulled out her phone to continue to read, knowing it would only be a matter of time before either Damon or Elijah would come find her. She'd barely made it three pages when the latter arrived, standing above her with a smile.

"Hello, Miss Irina. Do you mind if I join you?" She looked up, giving him a small smile and a shake of her head. He sat next to her, a respectable distance between them, and turned to face her. She did the same, tucking her phone into her pocket, letting it record what was to happen. "How did you come to know the Salvatores?"

"They're old family friends." She waved a hand as though it was of no importance. "It had been some time since I'd seen them and I believed a visit was in order." Elijah leaned a bit closer, his gaze capturing hers in an intense stare she recognized. She allowed her own eyes to go a bit blank, drawing him in.

"Tell me the truth now, Irina. Who are you to the Salvatores?" His attempt at compulsion certainly had merit, and it took quite a bit for her not to laugh. She hesitated, watching as he became increasingly frustrated. "Tell me."

"The Salvatores..." She leaned closer, clearly catching him off guard. "Those boys and I are going to stop Klaus. And you, too, if you choose to stand in our way." His gaze hardened, jaw clenched, and she knew she had him now. "Now, Elijah Mikaelson, I believe you have some humans to charm." She stood, unsurprised when he stood as well. With a small bow of her head, she turned and strode back through the main house, heading back to her car with a small smirk. Damon caught her eye on the way through and she gave the tiniest of nods before slipping into the crowd. Elijah would want to know more, practically need to. She had him on his toes. It was dark by the time Elena and Stefan returned, both heading straight upstairs. She listened as they talked in low tones, tuning them out when it became clear what they were discussing would be private. When the door opened again, Irina had expected Damon to come find her and discussed what had happened. Instead, he appeared to drag a rather pretty human woman up the stairs, and she rolled her eyes. She was out the door and heading for the Grill before the obscene sounds could reach her ears, and enjoying the first of what would likely be a long line of drinks.

"Hello Irina." She sighed, turning to see Elijah ordering a drink next to her at the bar. "Let's talk."


	4. Chapter 4

Elijah gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he took the seat next to her, and Irina turned to face forward again. There was a moment of tense silence as the bartender poured Elijah something to drink, and she waited patiently until he was out of earshot.

"Mr. Mikaelson. To what do I owe the...pleasure of this visit?" If possible, his gaze hardened more and she gave a small smirk.

"I wanted to know your intentions in regards to my brother." He left his drink untouched, though she finished hers quickly, waving for a new one. Another pause until the bartender was gone again.

"I intend to stop him and his insane plan." Elijah arched a brow and she shrugged. "I rather like the world the way it is. And the Petrova girl is far too good to be used in such a way." A thoughtful silence on his part as he seemed to consider her words.

"And just how far are you willing to go?" She trained her gaze on him, her smirk fading as she allowed her resolve to shine in her gaze.

"I will kill him if need be." Elijah's expression didn't change. "To be perfectly honest, I'd rather not have to. I know how much your family means to you, Elijah." Surprise colored his gaze as he nodded, turning to face front now as well. She allowed him the time to think it over, sipping her drink.

"I understand. And I wish to help." In 1000 years, Irina had never come so close to choking on her drink as she did then. Wide eyes turned to take in the man next to her and he glanced at her. "I've never agreed with my brother's insane plan." She stared him down for a few moments, trying to decide how much of his story he believed. He met her gaze evenly, not once wavering. Realizing he was serious, she set her drink down and turned on her stool to face him fully.

"You want to help us kill your brother?"

"Well, not kill, necessarily. Merely...stop." He finished his drink, and her eyes narrowed. "He is my brother after all."

"Alright. We won't kill him then, as long as I have your word that no harm will come to the Petrova girl." In truth, Irina realized she was going to be getting quite the deal out of this. Elijah would keep his word once it was given, and it would be one less thing for her and the brothers to worry about. Again, Elijah nodded, and she wanted to let out a sigh of relief. That took care of one concern; at least she wouldn't be fighting all of their family. "Good. Now, what is your plan?" They spent the better part of the evening conversing, heading to a local hiking trail when the bar finally closed. With a plan in place, Irina returned to the Salvatore house to set things in motion.

A few hours before dawn, a clatter arose from the living room, drawing her eyes up from the papers in front of her. Not long after, Damon swaggered in, holding a glass of what she could only assume was bourbon knowing him, and smirking down at her. Turning her attention back to the papers in front of her on the desk, making notes for the plan.

"Irina, Irina, Irina…" She'd never admit that hearing her name on his lips made her want to smile. All things considered for the night, she figured a bit of happiness was warranted. As Damon plopped himself down on the edge of the desk in front of her, she looking up again to give him a small smile.

"Mr. Salvatore. Finished already?" He gave a confused look, and she turned back to her work. "I distinctly recall you bringing home a friend. I do hope she's not up there now, ruining some ancient rug." His own smirk seemed to fade a bit.

"You don't have a very high opinion of me, do you?" He sounded playful enough, but she was old enough to know better.

"On the contrary. In spite of your obvious efforts to appear an ass, you are a truly honorable man." The was a scoff from above her, and she sensed him shift uncomfortably. With a sigh, she gathered the papers together and shuffled them into a folder. "Now, about our little problem."

"The Originals?" Both vampires looked up to see Stefan in the doorway, his usual pensive face showing traces of hope. Irina nodded, holding up the folder.

"I've secured us a plan."


	5. Chapter 5

It had taken quite a bit of convincing for the Salvatores to finally agree to the plan. And it all would have gone perfectly, if Damon hadn't decided to act so selfishly. As Stefan took Elena to care for her, Irina grabbed the older Salvatore by the throat, throwing him into a tree before stalking over to him.

"What the hell?" Damon scrambled to his feet, swinging at her. Batting his fist away, she punched him.

"You insufferable, insane, idiotic-"

"What is your problem?" He swung again and she blocked, pushing him back. He continued to come after her.

"You could have ruined everything!" She pushed him back against a tree, snarling in his face. He looked shocked, staring down at her. "The whole point of this, of all of this, was to save your stupid human girl!"

"I did that to keep her safe!" He was snarling, nearly touching her nose with his own as he glared down at her. They struggled, and he gained the upper hand by tripping her, pinning her with his weight. Irina glared up at him.

"Turning her defeats the purpose. We could have done that from day one and been done with all of this." Chests heaving, they stared each other down. Without warning, Damon was kissing her hungrily, practically devouring her there in the forest. He pressed closer if possible, hands moving from her shoulders to her sides, surprisingly gentle in spite of the ferocity of his kiss. It would be so easy to give in, to enjoy this moment with the younger vampire over her as his lips moved to her throat, teeth grazing against her skin. With a shaky breath, she gently tried to push him away. When that didn't work, she shoved harder, launching him into the air and rolling to her feet. Both were breathless, though he looked shocked.

"Why…?" His voice was shaky as well, and she was glad he was just as affected as she.

"Elena." His jaw tensed and she ran a hand through her hair. Irina was not opposed to simple one night stands, but there was too much at stake and too many emotions in play. "Go home. Elena will need both you and your brother." Irina turned, walking deeper into the trees. A hand grabbed her arm, and she allowed herself to be stopped.

"Irina, wait. I'm not with Elena." Damon was giving her a look, trying to convince her to stay and enjoy their time alone in the woods. But she knew what would come out of his mouth in the heat of the moment, and it certainly wouldn't be her name. She shook her head, given a tight smile.

"Maybe not officially. But, you certainly belong to her." Pulling her arm away, Irina ran off into the night, intent on finding a secluded area to rest and lose herself for a few hours. Mystic Falls was aptly named; the waterfall was large and crashing, complete with a small picnic area. At this time of night, it was abandoned, and would work as well as any abandoned house she could find. Settling on a bench, she began her usual meditations.

"Hello Irina." Elijah's voice rang through the clearing, and she turned to see him. He looked as dapper as always, in a suit and tie and looking a bit out of place in the picnic area. Irina stood slowly, eyeing the man cautiously as he approached. He arched a brow. "Your plan failed."

"I had hoped I could count on the other's cooperation. Clearly, I was wrong." Elijah moved slowly until he stood just in front of her. "Klaus is too powerful now."

"Indeed." He smiled, and her brow furrowed in confusion. "It's unfortunate, but expected. Niklaus has always managed to escape from just about every trap set for him." Elijah moved past her, and she turned to see him seated at the picnic table. He waved a hand and she moved to sit with him. "For now, we will simply allow him to believe he's won."

"Hasn't he? He's now more powerful than any of us." She huffed, leaning back as the predicament swirled through her mind. "And he believes the Petrova girl dead."

"She's not?" Elijah looked surprised as he turned to her, and Irina shook her head.

"No. I keep my word, Elijah, and I swore I'd keep her alive. Even if each brother has a different definition." He gave a thoughtful nod, and they both turned to stare at the falls. Moments of comfortable silence passed between them, and Irina began to wonder if she shouldn't have revealed herself to at least this Mikaelson sometime in the past. A phone chimed, and each grabbed for theirs. To her chagrin, it was Stefan. "Alas, it appears I'm needed." As she stood, so did Elijah, and he gave a knowing smile.

"Perhaps we can do this another time." She gave her own small smile and a nod, before speeding towards the Salvatore house.


End file.
